[Review] The Lost Daughter (7/10)

 

Title - The Lost Daughter
Production - Endeavor Content, Samuel Marshall Productions
Starring - Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley, Ed Harris, Jack Farthing, Peter Sarsgaard
Writer - Maggie Gyllenhaal
Director - Maggie Gyllenhaal
Release - 31 December 2021

Olivia Colman once again has delivered a great performance. For a film like this one, with a first time director in Maggie Gyllenhaal, it was all about direction and acting. 

But even more so, Jessie Buckley, whom I have always found a very good actress - and I just watched her in the latest Fargo series and thought she should have an Emmy for that - her performance here was exceptional. 

This was where Gyllenhaal's perspective and the way she directed specific scenes were just fantastic. She created scenes where the kids were being the most difficult human beings and as an audience member you could really feel that tension by Buckley. She didn't have to speak but just the way her body language was presented and the way Gyllenhaal shot her, it was amazing to watch.

And I've always thought Dakota Johnson was overrated, but Gyllenhaal made her watchable. 

The Oscars has just released their nomination list yesterday, and I'm surprised Gyllenhaal was not nominated (though it was a very stacked list). 

Having said that, however, this type of character study wasn't really something enjoyable for me. It's quite difficult to watch at times, and I wouldn't watch it again. Naturally, also, the pacing was quite slow but it was to set that kind of mood.